Method of altering the designs of shoe-lasts.



E. P. BLANCHARD, A. 0. SMITH &: G. W. BOULDRY. METHOD OF ALTERING THE DESIGNS 0F SHOE LASTS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11, 1914.

1,128,096. Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

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GIMBouLdry UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIAS PAINE BLANCI-IABD, ARTHUR CLINTON SMITH, AND GEORGE W. BOULDRY, (IF

i EAST BRIDGEWATER, MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD OF ALTERING THE DESIGNS 0F SHOE-LASTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 191

Application filed June 11. 1914. Serial No. 844,569.

To all ii /10m. it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELIAS PAINE llnANcnAnu, Aarnun CLINTON SMITH, and GEORGE IV. Boimnnr, citizens of the United States. residing at East Bridgewater, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts. have invented certain new and useful Improvements," in Methods of Altering the Desi ms of Shoe-Lastsrand we do declare the ibllowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enab e others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in methods for altering the designs of shoe lasts but more particularly to those which are usually formed of wood or similar material.

It is a well known fact that as the styles in shoes change, various shoe factories are forced to discard the lasts previously used in the manufacture of their shoes and that necessity requires them to purchase lasts of entirely new designs. This of course is an extremely expensive process and, in order to overcome the necessity of discarding the old style lasts, We have devised a method Whereby the same may be altered, thereby producing the same eflect as if a last of av different design were employed.

In carrying out the above end, we provide the portion of the last to be altered, with a longitudinal slit and insert a wedge within said slit, portions of the last being cut transversely in order to allow the tongue thus formed, to assume the proper shape.

With the above object in view, the invention resides in the herein described process of altering the last and in the novel features of construction herein described and claimed and shown in the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a last showing the positioning of the slits which are necessary in altering the height of the heel thereof; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the article after alteration; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the device as illustrated in Fig.

2; Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken uponthe line 44 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a'view similar to Fig. 4 taken along the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

bedeseri wl in detail.

In Fig. 1. the general shape of the last, before alteration. may be seen while in the remaining figures. the last has been altered for the purpose of lowering its heel. In performing this alteration. we provide the heel II of the last with a longitudinal slit 1 which extends forwardly from its rear end and terminates at a suitable point within the arch of the last. It is between the tongue 2 thus formed, and the remainder of the last, that we provide a wedge 3, the latter being preferably formed of a single piece of leatlier-bmird. or other suitable substance. It will be understood that the insertion of wardly, this downward movement being allowed by forming a transverse slit or groove 4 on the under side of the last and adjacent the inner end of the slit 1. In most cases, since the heel proper and the arch lie in different planes. it becomes necessary to provide a second transverse slit 5 at a suitable point for allowing the tongue to be bent to its proper formation.

In applying the wedge. the usual heel plate P-isremoved and the various slits, above described. are formed in the last. The wedge is then suitably shaped and coated on its opposite sides with glue or other viscous material after which, said wedge is forced into the slit 1 and held therein not only by the glue but by ,av pair of dowel pins 6 which extend through the in- .heel portion of the tongue 2. the wedge 3.

and into the body of the last.

By the above described method, it. will be seen that lasts. primarily designed for the modeling of high heeled shoes. may be al tered to render the same readily applicable for the construction of shoes having heels of less height.

Vi e have described the alteration as being made to the heel of a last but we do not wish to be limited to this location since, in many instances, it becomes necessary to lower the sole of the last. this being done in the same manner.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i 1. A method of altering shoe lasts consist ing in slitting one end thereof inwardly to provide a flexible tongue and inserting a wedge in the slit whereby the tongue is lowered.

2. A method of altering shoe lasts consist- 5 ing in slitting one end thereof inwardly in a substantially horizontal plane to form a tongue, grooving the tongue transversely to allow the shine to yield and inserting a wedge in the slit whereby the tongue is low- 10 ered.

A shoe last having a slit extending in wardly from one of its ends near its lower side, a wedge in the slit, and fastening elements passing through the lower portion of 15 the last and the wedge.

4. A shoe lust having a flexible tongue on its under side, and a wedge spacing the tongue from the body of the last.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of the subscribing 20 witnesses.

E. PAINE BLANCHARD. A. CLINTON SMITH. GEORGE w. BOULDRY.

Witnesses as to E. P. Blanchard:

HERBERT C. Tnonxnuuc, MARY H. HANE. \Vitnesses as to A. C. Smith and (l. W. Bouldry:

HERBERT C. THORNDIKE, FRANCIS M. TIIOIINDIKE. 

